Not Bob Stoops and his trophy case full of championships. Not Mack Brown and his star-filled, elite recruiting classes. Not even Bill Snyder, the guy who has done more with less than anyone ever.

But Mike Gundy, the coach who not so long ago was more of a punchline than an exclamation point.

"It means a lot to Oklahoma State that people feel comfortable in saying that we’re good enough to have the opportunity to win a conference championship," Gundy says.

Let me translate: And you people thought I was crazy. Crazy fortunate. Crazy passionate. Or just plain crazy good.

How else can you explain it? Despite all those questions about his Oklahoma State team; despite a quarterback with limited experience and a defense that hasn’t proven it can stop anyone; despite the fact that OU and Texas have better personnel, it’s Gundy and the Cowboys as the fallback choice in a crowded and uncertain Big 12 race.

Think about that for moment. From a guy who looked like he’d lost it, to a guy getting the benefit of the doubt in the second-best conference in college football—ahead of three legends in the game.

"Everybody thinks it’s all about that one moment," says West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen. "Mike’s a helluva coach. One of the best-kept secrets out there."

Instead, the focus is on those three minutes of shame —or is that fame?—and how it has overshadowed the work accomplished by Gundy going into his ninth season in Stillwater.

Before the meltdown aimed at a local writer for a story written about a one-time starting quarterback, Gundy was 12-15 a month into his third season at OSU—and the Cowboys were coming off a humiliating national television loss to Troy.

Since the rant, which followed a 49-45 win over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State is 54-20, including the first major division outright conference championship in school history and a school-record six straight bowl games.

Since that rant, Oklahoma State’s 49 wins from 2008-2012 is the most in school history in a five-year span.

Since that rant, Gundy has given up play calling—something he admits had consumed him early in his coaching career—and has managed the team instead of micromanaging a unit. That decision led to two offensive coordinator hires (Holgorsen, Todd Monken) that helped elevate the program and eventually got those two men head coaching jobs.

Since that rant, monetary giving has increased exponentially at the university—both for athletics and academics—and there are shiny new facilities and a grand stadium at the corner of Washington and Hall of Fame Avenue.

Since that rant, Oklahoma State—for decades little brother to mighty OU—has recruited with the major programs and had NFL first-round draft picks and was one controversial vote away from playing for the national championship.

So yeah, maybe it is easier to see how Gundy and Oklahoma State get the benefit of the doubt over OU, Texas and Kansas State this season—even though, since the rant, the Cowboys are just 6-10 vs. those three Big 12 heavyweights.

Even though quarterbacks Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh haven’t combined for double-digit career starts. Even though the Cowboys have another new offensive coordinator; this one, 37-year-old Mike Yurcich, with scant experience at the FBS level.

So highly, in fact, after his team stumbled to a 3-3 record the second half of the season; after they whipped a disinterested Purdue team in a meaningless bowl game to win at least eight games for the fifth straight year (last time they didn’t: the year of the rant); Gundy was the coach everyone wanted.

Arkansas came after him, and a few others made calls, too. Then there was Tennessee, which offered a boatload of cash and the opportunity to coach in the SEC—and eventually made those annoying spats with athletic director Mike Holder over scheduling seem so trivial.

He admits the flirtation with Tennessee was his fault, and also admits he nearly left for Knoxville before realizing he needed to stay and enjoy the benefits of what he built at Oklahoma State.

Who could have ever imagined it would include the benefit of the doubt over three legendary coaches?

"One minute, out of nowhere, you’re a YouTube sensation," Gundy says. The next, you’re winning like no one ever has at Oklahoma State.